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Dad's 300-mile bike ride after beating bowel cancer

A DAD who beat bowel cancer has completed a 300-mile bike ride as his way of thanking the hospital that looked after him.

Vinny Vesty, along with pal Allan Jones, battled record temperatures to cycle from London to Manchester in just four days.

The 53-year-old started to plan the ride to thank The Christie just months after he was given the all clear.

“It all went according to plan,” said Mr Vesty, who works as an engineer at Greenhalgh’s bakery.

“We did it with no problems, although the weather was against us.

“It was really too warm to be riding a bike, but it was better than it raining the whole time. The hardest thing was finding water. We could only carry so much and that doesn’t last long when it is that hot.

“We kept cycling through villages thinking we would find a pub and a shop, but not finding anything.”

The pair cycled 65 miles on the first day, 86 on the second, 56 on the third and 75 on the last day to Manchester in the middle of a heatwave which saw temperatures hit 30 degrees in some areas.

Mr Vesty added: “We really enjoyed it though — we got to see some lovely scenery because that is how we had planned it.

“I couldn’t really walk afterwards though — I think four days in the saddle is enough. I would like to do something else in future, but I will need to recover from this one first.”

Mr Vesty, of Rutland Street, Leigh, and Allan have raised more than £1,000 for The Christie, helped by Mr Vesty’s daughter Sarah, who is running a tombola.

She said: “I’m really proud of both of them. I hope that people look at my dad and think if he has been through so much in such a short space of time and can do it, then why can’t they.”